Tuesday, 29 August 2017

I receive almost 30 global press fish farm/seafood industry newsletters every week. In
these, I have found a startling amount of bad news, and decided to do a
post on it. I had no idea there was as much bad news as there is.

I
am at my sixth post. In little more than two years, I have found 2000 BAD NEWS BITES. Some days I am stunned by the amount of bad
news in the fish farm/seafood industry. As of April 30/17, you can add
another 500 BAD NEWS BITES, from this post, or more than 1,600 BAD NEWS
stories since July 1/15, less than two years. Now, add 400 more from the fifth BAD NEWS BITES post: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.ca/2017/05/bad-news-bites-fifth-post.html. And that reaches 2,000.

"In one mouthful, here are the kind of stories I am finding: boom bust industry,
billions made and lost, crisis in lice and disease, bankruptcy, workers fired, executives
jumping company to company, dividing big bonuses, fraud, corruption, litigation,
conflict of interest with government and scientists, using the ocean as a free
open sewer – $10.4 Billion in BC alone, killing of whales, seals and sea lions – more
than 12,000 in BC so far, slavery, unpaid labour, taxpayers paying millions for
diseased, dead fish – $177 Million in Canada, dueling scientists, weakening of
laws, unsustainable feed, illegal fishing, jail sentences, disasters in Norway, Scotland,
Chile, Canada, bullying of scientists, governments and anyone critical of their
business, cartels, collusion, price fixing, fishing down the food chain to
Antarctic krill, carcinogens and persistent organic pollutants,
fluoroquinolones, chicken feathers in feed, animal feces in feed,
eutrophication in a time of global warming, Malachite Green fungicide in USA
seafood, fake industry awards, all the wild salmon in the Pacific ocean, more
than a billion, put in peril... it goes on."

Look
at the last post as it shows the CEO of the company that owns Marine
Harvest, John Fredriksen, selling half a billion dollars in stock on the
bet that the share price will drop so he can make money buying it back.

Update 2017:
of some humour, the share price went up, so I guess John made the wrong
bet. Here's a thought: John, raise fish on land, thus increasing
supply, thus reducing cost, then MH shares go down, and you buy them
back!

Now, to add to the 2,000 bad news stories I have found, here are the BAD NEWS BITES, starting Sept 1, 2017.

Update, Dec 11, 2017. As you can see, I have found 500 BAD NEWS BITES in less than 3.5 months. That means well over 1000 in a year. That is how much bad news there is in fish farms/seafood industry. The new post is here:

496. Tofino Blood Water - Clayoquot Action, Creative chinook: https://clayoquotaction.org/2017/11/tofinos-tainted-fish-farm-blood/. Blood water contains PRV: "Campbell then drove to Tofino to see what was happening with the
effluent from the plant processing Creative Salmon’s farmed Chinook
salmon. He was able to sample and film a similar plume of bloodwater.
Clayoquot Action was later able to obtain samples from a school of wild
rockfish feeding near the outflow pipe. Both Creative’s blood water and
the rockfish tested positive for PRV."

Of the 11 firms
with growth rates of more than 30% last year, eight are salmon farmers.

The highest growth rate nevertheless goes to Cooke Aquaculture and Cooke Seafood USA,
which climbed 25 places thanks to acquisitions that boosted its top line by
90%.

Acquisitions also lifted Royal
Greenland 15 places on the list.

At the other end of the spectrum, our ranking confirms that times remain tough
for value-added processors. The UK's Young's Seafood and Canada's High Liner Foods fell
15 and five places, respectively."

The
Brown’s Bay plant was inspected in 2013, and found to be out of
compliance with the province’s environmental laws. According to Heyman
no further inspection took place at the time."

And: "Many of the companies operating farmed salmon open net pens in B.C.
are Norwegian, the country behind many of the farmed salmon operations
worldwide. Currently Norway does not allow for the discharge of fish
processing waste into the ocean."

"This is a growing problem, since human antibiotic use
increased 36 per cent this century, and antibiotic use in livestock is
predicted to increase 67 per cent by 2030. Additionally, up to 75 per
cent of antibiotics used in aquaculture may be lost into the surrounding
environment," the report notes.

486. Fish Farm Salmon in Skagit River - Cooke salmon from broken Cypress Island farm are being caught in the Skagit: http://asf.ca/tribes-catch-more-escaped-atlantic-salmon-in-skagit-river.html. The Lummi Nation has caught 400,000 pounds of them. See: "“I can tell you they are free swimming and they are healthy and alive,”
Scott Schuyler, Natural Resources Director for the Upper Skagit Tribe,
told The Seattle Times on Thursday. He said tribal fish technicians keep
on catching Atlantics as they fish with tangle nets for chum to gather
broodstock for the tribal hatchery." And: "“The Skagit is a big river, and the fact we were
catching that many in just a little stretch of river when they were out
for just a few hours, they have got to be all over,” Schuyler said of
the Atlantics, “which is very concerning …""

“The Skagit River is the largest contributor of chinook to the Puget Sound …" What this means is that farmed salmon have been found in two major salmon producing rivers, the Fraser and the Skagit.

The
recommendation, announced Monday by the Committee on the Status of
Endangered Wildlife in Canada, an independent scientific body that
advises the federal government, is the most significant acknowledgement
to date of the jeopardy facing the iconic red-bodied fish that was once
the mainstay of British Columbia's salmon industry."

358. Flexifarm Closed Fish Farm? - Cermaq, Norway, no to lice and diseases, but yes to sludge, feces, unless they grind them up and release them, which means yes to sludge and feces, unless they are shipped to shore for use. Sure. As in change only so much that you don't have to change: https://www.fishupdate.com/cermaq-closed-cages-will-beat-lice/.

"To clarify further, Sea Shepherd did not organize the occupation of the
fish farms. Among the legions of individuals, networks and
organizations actively supporting this Indigenous led occupation are
Bishop Logan McMenamie of the Anglican Diocese of British Columbia, the
David Suzuki Foundation, the Union of BC Indian Chiefs, the First
Nations Wild Salmon Alliance, Clayoquot Action, the Wild Salmon Caravan,
the Watershed Watch Salmon Society, the Council of Canadians, the Green
Party of BC, MP Fin Donnelly, marine biologist Dr. Alexandra Morton,
and of course, the Sea Shepherd Society, among so many others."

303. Global Fish Numbers Down - Marine Harvest, "The Oslo-listed
company harvested 11,000 tonnes in Scotland, 11,000 tonnes in Canada and 14,000
tonnes in Chile. More than half of its volume - 55,500 tonnes - was harvested
in Norway, 3,000 tonnes in Ireland and 1,000 tonnes in the Faroes.
MH Ireland, which largely produces organic salmon, achieved the best
operating profit (EBIT) of €3.20 per kilo, with Scotland next best
at €2.30/kg. Norway and the Faroes both made €2.25/kg,
Canada €1.70/kg and Chile €1.25/kg. Record profi..." See: https://www.fishfarmingexpert.com/news/marine-harvest-volumes-below-target/.

256. Antibiotic Resistance Genes - globally in fish meal, sewage under pens: "Our study has revealed for the first time that fishmeal itself is a
major reservoir for ARGs, and the shift in the bacterial community
induced by the nutrients in fishmeal is the main driver shaping the
resistome in mariculture microcosm sediment. Our findings caution
against the previously unperceived risk of ARG propagation in
fishmeal-receiving ecosystems." See: http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.est.7b02875?journalCode=esthag&#.We3PuhyGtXY.facebook.

The
Scottish fish farming industry has admitted that it threw away up to
ten million salmon last year – nearly a quarter of its stock – because
of diseases, parasites and other problems.

Official figures reveal the tonnages of dead fish that had to be
disposed of has more than doubled from 10,599 in 2013 to a record high
of 22,479 in 2016. Most are transported south to be burnt at an
incinerator in Widnes near Warrington in northwest England.

Campaign groups warn that the industry is facing an “environment
catastrophe”, is “haemorrhaging cash” and “shames Scotland”. Companies
accept that they have been plagued by disease and sea lice, and that
their businesses have suffered.

"A review just published by Simon
Fraser University and led by biologist Michael Price found that
Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s wild salmon monitoring is woefully
insufficient and that the conservation health of about half of B.C.’s
wild salmon populations is unknown. We’re still missing the most basic
data."

Likewise, problematic findings were found with the MSC certification.
Several certified fisheries experienced significant timeline extensions
and flexible interpretations of the application of the Standard
requirements. While SeaChoice’s analysis of requirements of
certification to directly improve fishery practices’ impacts on habitat,
non-target species and ecosystem function to be minimal. Read the report at: http://www.seachoice.org/whats-behind-the-label/."

198. 'Woefully Inadequate' - DFO Monitoring of wild salmon, study: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/sfu-salmon-study-1.4256265. "The study was published in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and
Aquatic Sciences, and found that in 2014 DFO staff visted less than 500
spawning streams. In the mid 1980s, Price said, staff were visiting more than 1500 streams a year."

179. Fish Farms Banned - Oregon, Alaska, California, Wild Fish Conservancy: http://wildfishconservancy.org/atlantic-salmon-net-pen-recommendations-comments."Washington is the only state on the West Coast that has not forbidden Atlantic salmon net pens in its marine waters." And: "Alaska, California, and Oregon have all banned Atlantic salmon net pens. These
states recognized the damage net pens impose on their wild fish
populations. In Alaska, Atlantic salmon net pens are prohibited because
the risk of disease infection, parasite exposure, and potential damage
to wild salmon is too high. Oregon states that Atlantic salmon net pens
are prohibited due to their potential to cause adverse ecological and
genetic damage. Similarly, in California net pens are prohibited due to
concerns about infection, disease, and impacts on wild fish. Washington
is the only state on the West Coast that allows this industry to operate
in its waters. And not only does Washington allow Atlantic salmon to be
raised in open water net pens, it is actively encouraging industrial
expansion of this industry."

It
says contribution to GDP is a measly $61.9M for all of aquaculture,
that there are only 1700 multiplier jobs, and I went out and found that
actual employment is only 820 jobs.

And a spin check
is always needed. For example, salmon output down is the result of
Scotland's lice killing fish (and they paid the highest in lice chemical
costs of $483Million last year), Norway's lice killing fish, and Chile
fish dying in an algal bloom, caused in part by their own sewage and
dumping 75,000MT of dead fish too close off shore. It was down 8.7%. BC
fish farms are recasting this as a positive spin story about a global
market opportunity.

163. Dumping of Chemicals - NL, "Ernst, East Coast Environmental Law, West Coast Environmental Law
Association, Conservation Council of New Brunswick, Ecology Action
Centre, Living Oceans Society, and Friends of the Earth Canada are
calling for an industry-wide investigation into the chemical dumping
practice." See: http://asf.ca/aquaculture-dumping-regulations-not-enforced.html.

162. Interbreeding - NL, wild, escaped farmed Atlantics, second generation fish, too: http://asf.ca/not-so-wild-world-of-nl-salmon.html. Quote: "“For the first time the unambiguous, widespread detection of first- and
second-generation wild- aquaculture hybrid salmon and pure aquaculture
offspring (i.e. 35 per cent hybrids, 17/18 rivers within 75 km) has been
reported,” the research says. “Results indicate that levels of
hybridization were higher in smaller populations, hybridization had
pre-dated the 2013 escape event, and some hybrids were reproductively
viable.”

Let that sink in for a moment: the research says one in
three fish are hybrids, it’s not just one escape that’s to blame, and
the genetic genie is out of the bottle, because the hybrids are
themselves reproducing."

95.Dead Fish Dumped into Pristine Wilderness - BC, Swanson, Sept 13, 2017 post: http://alexandramorton.typepad.com/alexandra_morton/2017/09/fish-farm-fight-update-september-13.html. "The fish appear in poor health. The packer “Proud Venture” is
pumping dead fish out of the bottom of the pens every few days, then
going around the corner into Blackfish Sound and pumping the farm water
full of rotting fish tissue into the migration route of the Fraser
sockeye and all southcoast salmon. The boat then returns to the farm and
pumps more dead fish into the hold."

62. Cohen Report - LeBlanc says he'll actually do something - more science. Huh, that just gives fish farms another five year pass to use our ocean as a free open sewer. Then they'll say, the science doesn't say that, it says this, and we need five years more science: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/fisheries-minister-dominic-leblanc-sockeye-fraser-river-declining-1.3713332. Asking for science is naive. LeBanc won't be in office by the time his inconclusive science comes in. Here are some of LeBlanc's naive thoughts: ""I think there is a way for world-class, transparent, open and available
science and management decisions that are transparent to Canadians to
be made with respect to the aquaculture sector."" We don't need science we need to get fish farms out of the ocean just like Norway that is fed up with its environmental damage and is giving out free licences to set up on land.

60. Legislation With NO Teeth - WA: http://asf.ca/that-atlantic-salmon-farm-was-on-its-last-legs.html.This is what Cooke said in Feb, 2017 about conditions on the farm that fell apart: "The existing steel net pen structure has been in service for
approximately 16 years in the marine environment and is due for complete
replacement. Steel net pen systems located in the marine environment
are subject to the corrosive effects of salt water and to metal fatigue
from the constant wave energy, storm events and the extreme forces that
are exerted on them from tidal currents. The corrosion on the metal
walkway grating and substructures is accelerating and some metal hinge
joints show signs of excess wear. Repairing the rusted steel walkways
and replacing fatigued metal components of the existing cage system
structure in place is not cost effective or practical." Cooke said this to government. Read the rest of the article to see what the government knew and what it did/didn't do.

Here is some: "The Department of Natural Resources inspected the Cypress Island farm in
September 2016. Smillie said DNR does fairly perfunctory inspections,
checking on things like whether emergency response kits are
well-stocked.

“We don’t have a whole lot of structural engineers on staff to go out and inspect our lease facilities,” Smillie said." And: "“We rely on them to make sure that their facility is in good shape and doesn’t fall apart,” Smillie said."

About Me

I won the national RODERICK HAIG- BROWN AWARD, 2016, for environmental writing, largely for this blog (www.fishfarmnews.blogspot.com) that has become a global portal for the environmental damage made by Norwegian-style fish farms.
I won the Art Downs Award for 2012 for sustained and outstanding writing on environmental issues, in my case, fish farms.
The award was based on 10 columns on fish farm issues in the Times Colonist newspaper, three public submissions to the Cohen Commission on Fraser sockeye and this blog.
If you want to book me to speak, for a lecture, talk, or panel on fish farm environmental damage, contact me on this blog by leaving a message on a post.